Hobbyhorse



June 14, 1932. L 1, BRENNAN 1,863,393

HOBBYHORSE Filed April 2. 1951 Joh? J//e/ma/, @5% /Mdfmq Patented June14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT; oFFlclzpA JOI-IN J'. BRENNAN, 0F LANSING,MICHIGAN IHOBBYHORSE Application filed April 2, 1931.

An object of this invention is the production of a toy of the naturestated which may be propelled by a young child seated astride thereof,and which during its progress by reason of features comprising front andrear l0 wheels rotatiyely supported at one side of the center thereofsuitable devices will be actuated whereby pivoted head and neck portion,leg members, and a tail appendage will be moved to stimulate the naturalmotions thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hobby horse havingparts of special construction and arrangement believed to be of simpleformation, that may be made very strong, and which cannot get out oforder or be readily broken in use by the child.

The special construction and disposition of the parts of this inventionare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig.

1 represents a vertical interior View of the construction, throughoutits length and showing all parts assembled, partly sectional with oneside removed.

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional view showing the preferred mode of makingthe joint in the leg members.

Throughout the descriptionand drawing the same number is used to referto the same part.

Considering the drawing, the body portion of the ligure is composed oftwo side boards or pieces such as the side 1, and these and supported inplace by the blocks 8 and 9.

Extending downwardly and forwardly at the forward end of the body aresupport-ing arms or plates 10 and 11, and at the rear Serial No.527,335.

and extending rearwardly are similar supporting plates or boards 12 and13. lt will be understood that there are ytwo side boards such as theside 1 comprisingk the body of the horse, and that the supporting arm 10is attached to the side 1, and the duplicate arm 11 is secured to theduplicate of side 1 not shown. The front wheel 16Y is located betweenthe lower ends of the arms 10 and 11. In like manner at the rear, thereare- -two supporting arms 12 and 13, the first being secured to side 1as shown, and arm 13 being attached to the duplicate of side 1 notshown. The axle 14 of the front wheel passes as shown through thesupports 10 and 11, and the axle 15 of the rear wheel passes likewisethrough the supports 12 and 13. The front wheel is marked 16 andthe rearwheel 17. It will be noted'that the axles of the wheels; are located ata distance toV one side of the center of each wheel. Bearing upon thetop of the front wheel 16 is a roller 18 pivotally carried by the lever19 having the fulcrum or pivot pin 20. l At the opposite end from theroller 18 the lever 19 car- .T

ries a link 21 which is connected pivotally with the neck 22 of thehorse. The neck is pivotally carried on the pin 23. The neck has a link24 in pivotal connection with a pin 25, and the pin 25 is secured to theupper end of the leg member 26. The pin passes through a suitable slotsuch as the slot 26a in the support 10, and it will be understood thatthe support 11 has alike slot through which pin passes into connectionwith a second leg member like the leg 26 but not shown. It will beunderstood that there are two front legs 26' exactly alike in shape, andthere are two rear legs 35 which are duplicates. The legs are pivotallysupported at the front byV pivot pin 20, and at the rear by the likepivot 35a. As the body of the horse moves up and down in its operativeprogress the legs swing back and forth upon the pivots.

As illustrated, the head 27 of the horse may be connected in verticaland lateral swinging relation with the neck 22 by means of the coilsprings 28 and 29. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that the bridle rein 27ais connected positivelywith the head 27 which can be moved vertically orsidewise by manipulating the rein. It will be further observed that thejaw 28aJ is pivoted to the head, the pivot being marked 28d, and the 5jaw may be opened by drawing upon the auxiliary rein or cord 28o, andthe lower spring 28 is attached tothe pivoted jaw in such manner .as toreturn the jaw Ainto its closed position shown. Strap 28o is flexible.The two coil springs act to maintain the head normally in the positionillustrated.

A spring 30 keeps the roller 18 in contact with the tire of the frontwheel 16.

At the rear, the roller 31 `islocated incontaot with the tire of therear wheel 17, and Vis carried upon the lower end ofthe lever '32. Thelever 32 bears'a pin 33 that ipasses through asuitable slot 34 in thesupport or ibracket 12 andaisattached to the leg member 35. As explainedfor the front leg members, the pin 33 also passesthrough asimilar slotin l'thesupport 13 and is attached to a second hind leg member like themember y35 but .not shown.

The upper end of thelever 32 is pivotally :connected to azrocker varm 36and .the tail`37 of :the 'horse :is attached to kthe arm 36. There will:beihere noted in Fig. 1 awire or ycord38attached to the lever`32andextending upwardly through the top or body v4 of thehorse. The lever 32may thus be pulled upwardly by hand Vby drawing yupon vthe wire 38.

A spring :39 drawing upon the arm 36 downwardly, keeps the roller 31 incontact -'with ithe ftire vof the rear vwheel 17.

`Considering Fig. 2, the preferred `form of knuckle joints for the legmembers `is set forth. .Astripof'metal 40 is hidden in the lupperportion fof 1the yleg Vmember 411 yand .extends v'downwardly in'to .thelower porti on =of the Elegmember 'wherein it isl engaged piv- \otallyvvby a transverse pin 41 yand the lower end-ofsthe-strip-rmoves in theslot 42 in the 45 flower leg portion. The lower portions Yof :the legYmembers are `:thus movable with vreispect to the 'upper portions, t'andlin Ethe -front `leg, as inthe living animal, the lower part "of the legmay swing 'backwardly, while in Ythe rear legthelower part swingsforwardly. The ihoof portions fare not usually articulated.

In the-operationbf this invention, let it be assumedthat the horse ispropelled bythe rider'in-a forward direction. Due to the fact fthattheaXles-of .the Vwheels are'at one side -of ithe center, the body'of thehorse will be rraised 'and lowered as r'it progresses, and at v:the-sametime the lneck l22 -will be vmoved up anddown. This movement willfcarrythe head 27 with itpbut as the-strap or cord 280 Ashown in Fig. 1is'connected with V'the pivoted jaw and with the lfront support -orbracket 11, asthe head wags up'and down the jaw opensandrcloses.y kAtthesameftime the front leg members 26 are swung back and forth givingthe impression of a running horse. At the rear the lever 32 rises andfalls as rear wheel 17 rotates, and the leg member 35 is swung back andforth upon its pivot 35a, and at the same time the tail 37 is wagged up.and down by arm 36. If the wheels are vin .the positions illustrated,Athe movement lifts and lowers the body as a whole, imitative of atrotting horse. But if the wheels are arranged sothat the Abody rocks,the movement is that of a galloping horse.

'It is not intended to limit this invention to any particular size,material or color, or to the precise shape of any part. Modificationsvare obviously readily devised.

Having 'now -described rthis invention, I claim'z- 1. A hobby horsehaving in combination wheels rotatively supported Aat one side of thecenter thereof whereby thebodyportion of the horse is raisedand loweredas it progresses, a pivoted head and neck portion, pivoted leg members,and means operated by the rise and fall of the body and the eccen- Ytricmovement `of the wheels whereby the head and neck portion and the legAmembers are moved.

2. A hobby horse having in combination, front and rear wheels rotativelysupported at one side of the center thereof whereby the body Vportionofthe horse is raisedand lowered in :its progress,:a ypivoted head andneck portion, means whereby said head'and neck portion is moved by theeccentricfrotation ofV the front wheel, front and rear leg members,

andmeans whereby the said rear leg-members means-connected with saidrear leg members and operated by the said rear wheel for moving the saidrear leg members.

4. Ahobby horse having in combination a .front wheel and a rear wheelsupported at one lside of the center thereof whereby .the body portionof the horse is raised and lowered as it progresses, rear leg members,means pivotally connected with the said leg members and arranged to :beoperated by the eccentric Vrotation of the said :rear wheel, anddevicesconnected with the saidleg operating means andrextending to ltheexternal surface of the body portionof the horse in .reachof the handwhereby a kicking motion may be given to the said rear leg members.

5. A hobby horse having in combination a rear wheel rotatively supportedat one side of the center whereby the body portion of the horse israised and lowered as it progresses, rear leg members, means pivotallyconnected with the said leg members and arranged to be operated by theeccentric rotation of the said rear wheel, a pivoted tail, and meanscon-V nected with said tail and and said legs operating means wherebythe said tail is moved.

6. A hobby horse having in combination front and rear wheels rotativelysupported at one side of the center whereby the body portion of thehorse is given up and down movements as it progresses, said horse havinga pivoted head and neck portion, means actuated by said front wheels formoving said head and neck portion, the said head having a pivoted jawportion, and means connected with said jaw portion and with the frontwheel supports whereby when the head is raised the jaw appears to beopened and to close when said head falls.

7 A hobby horse having in combination front and rear wheels, said horsehaving a pivoted head and neck portion, the said head and neck beingspring connected, means comprising a rein extending to the saddle of thehorse for moving the said head, a jaw portion pivoted to the head, andmeans connected with the j aw and extending to the saddle for actuatingthe jaw by itself.

In testimony whereof I afX my signature.

JOHN J. BRENNAN.

